Australia PM will not send more troops to Iraq

[Judi Lynn]

21 Apr 2004 03:06

Australia PM will not send more troops to Iraq
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia will not send more troops to Iraq to help fill the void left by the withdrawal of military personnel by Spain, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, Prime Minister John Howard said on Wednesday.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, was an original member of the U.S.-led coalition, but only around 350 of its 2,000 troops are left in Iraq, where spreading violence has threatened to plunge the country into chaos.

Howard has always made it clear to U.S. President George W. Bush that Australia could not send peacekeepers to Iraq because it was committed to peacekeeping in East Timor, Papua New Guinea's Bougainville island and elsewhere in the South Pacific. But the United States wants to fill any void created after Spain, Honduras and the Dominican Republic pulled out their contingents with U.S. forces or troops from other coalition partners.

"We haven't been asked (to send more troops to Iraq) and we're not planning to," Howard told Australian radio.
(snip/...)

http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp?type=worldNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4886995

[rooboy]

1. Howard couldn't get those troops out fast enough...

and he worked hard to find other things for them to do when they got back. Because he knows that as soon as 1 soldier dies, he'll go down 10 points in the polls.

[Judi Lynn]

2. It's a miracle you haven't lost one yet. He's been lucky. n/t

[JeebusH]

3. Howard's a dope, but he did this right ....

he pulled most of the troops early when Dumbya was popping the champagne and partying with the other "coalition" members, Howard quietly exited when no-one really noticed and now everyone else is dealing with the hangover

[the Kelly Gang]

4. must be killing him not send them.he loves nothing more

than standing at the dock waving them off.